Motorized cartridge type fluid dispensing apparatus and system

Abstract

A dispensing apparatus is disclosed for dispensing fluid, such as liquid adhesive, from a fluid cartridge having a plunger movable between opposite ends within the cartridge. The dispensing apparatus is releasably coupled to a robot in order to control discharging of the fluid at a particular location. Movement of the plunger is carried out by a cartridge actuator assembly that includes a linear actuator, such as a servomotor, that moves a piston rod into engagement with the plunger such that the plunger can be movable under a force applied by the piston rod. A dispense section of the dispensing apparatus includes a valve assembly with a snuff-back mechanism that prevents excess dripping from an outlet of the dispenser. An end effector assembly may be coupled to the dispense section for dispensing the fluid to an application site in a precise and controlled manner.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for dispensing fluid from a fluid cartridge having a plunger movable between a proximal end of the fluid cartridge and a distal end of the fluid cartridge, the apparatus comprising:
 a housing frame configured to be releasably coupled to a robot; 
 a cartridge holder including a first clamshell section fixed to the housing frame and a second clamshell section pivotably connected to the first clamshell section, such that the second clamshell section is pivotable between an open position for loading or unloading the fluid cartridge and a closed position for securing the fluid cartridge, the first clamshell section defining a first cartridge holding space configured to receive a first portion of the fluid cartridge and the second clamshell section defining a second cartridge holding space configured to partially receive a second portion of the fluid cartridge, 
 wherein, when the second clamshell section is in the closed position, the first cartridge holding space and the second cartridge holding space together receive the entirety of the fluid cartridge; 
 a cartridge actuator including a linear actuator and a piston rod configured to urge the plunger from the proximal end of the fluid cartridge to the distal end of the fluid cartridge for discharging fluid from the cartridge; 
 a dispenser having a dispense valve; and 
 an end effector coupled to the dispenser and configured to dispense the fluid to an application site. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a fluid mating connector configured to releasably couple the end effector to the dispenser. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a lock configured to secure the second clamshell section in the closed position by clamping the first and second clamshell sections together. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the lock is connected to a locking actuator fixed to the housing frame and configured to move in and out of locking engagement with the first and second clamshell sections. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the locking actuator includes a pneumatic driver and a reciprocating rod coupled to the lock. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cartridge actuator further comprises a motor, a drive rod coupled to the motor and arranged parallel to the piston rod, and an actuator linkage configured to couple the drive rod to the piston rod. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the motor is a servomotor, a rotary motor, or a linear motor. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the piston rod includes a piston head configured to correspondingly interface with a proximal surface of the plunger of the cartridge for urging the plunger through the fluid cartridge during a dispensing operation. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the piston rod defines an internal piston passageway and the piston head defines an internal piston head passageway, such that the internal piston passageway and the internal piston head passageway are in fluid communication with each other. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the piston head further comprises a fluid outlet defining at least one vent hole in fluid communication with the internal piston head passageway for providing ventilation in order to prevent a vacuum between the piston head and the plunger. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing frame further comprises at least one robot mounting plate configured to connect to a robotic arm of the robot. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the dispenser further comprises a discharge passage configured to receive fluid discharged from the cartridge during a dispensing operation. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the dispenser comprises a discharge outlet in fluid communication with the discharge passage. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the dispense valve is configured to move between an open position in which fluid flows through the discharge outlet and a closed position in which no fluid flows through the discharge outlet. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the dispense valve further comprises a valve rod and a snuff back valve. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the snuff back valve includes a snuff back element provided within a snuff back passage in fluid communication with both the discharge passage and the discharge outlet, and wherein the snuff back element is configured to reciprocate within the snuff back passage by moving forward and backward in response to the dispense valve between a respective flow position and a snuff back position. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the snuff back element defines a first region and a directly adjacent second region having a cross-sectional diameter smaller than the first region, such that the first region sealingly abuts a resilient valve seal provided at the intersection of the snuff back passage and the discharge outlet when the dispense valve is in the closed position in order to block fluid flow between the discharge passage and the discharge outlet, and the second region does not sealingly abut the valve seal for allowing fluid to flow past the snuff back element toward the discharge outlet when the dispense valve is in the open position. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the end effector includes a dispense nozzle. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the end effector includes an applicator brush. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid cartridge includes a flange, and the first clamshell section and the second clamshell section define a flange groove having a stop surface,
 wherein the flange groove is configured to receive the flange when the fluid cartridge is secured in the cartridge holder, such that the flange is in contact with the stop surface and axial movement of the fluid cartridge within the cartridge holder is precluded. 
 
     
     
       21. An apparatus for dispensing fluid from a fluid cartridge having a plunger movable between a proximal end of the fluid cartridge and a distal end of the fluid cartridge, the apparatus comprising:
 a housing frame configured to be releasably coupled to a robot; 
 a cartridge holder defining a cartridge holding space configured to receive the fluid cartridge; 
 a cartridge actuator including a linear actuator and a piston rod configured to urge the plunger from the proximal end of the fluid cartridge to the distal end of the fluid cartridge for discharging fluid from the cartridge; 
 a dispenser having a dispense valve; 
 an end effector coupled to the dispenser and configured to dispense the fluid to an application site; and 
 a cartridge ejector comprising a pneumatic actuator defining an ejector housing and a pneumatic ejector piston mounted for reciprocation within the ejector housing, the pneumatic ejector piston being coupled to an ejector element that is configured to engage and lift at least the distal end of the cartridge to eject the cartridge from the cartridge holding space. 
 
     
     
       22. A fluid dispensing system for dispensing fluid from a fluid cartridge, the system comprising:
 a robot having a robotic arm; 
 a housing frame mounted to the robotic arm of the robot; 
 a cartridge holder secured to the housing frame and including a first clamshell section fixed to the housing frame and a second clamshell section pivotably connected to the first clamshell section, such that the second clamshell section is pivotable between an open position for loading or unloading the fluid cartridge and a closed position for securing the fluid cartridge, the first clamshell section defining a first cartridge holding space configured to receive a first portion of the fluid cartridge and the second clamshell section defining a second cartridge holding space configured to partially receive a second portion of the fluid cartridge, 
 wherein, when the second clamshell section is in the closed position, the first cartridge holding space and the second cartridge holding space together receive the entirety of the fluid cartridge; 
 a cartridge actuator comprising a piston rod and a linear actuator configured to move the piston rod in a reciprocating manner to urge an internal plunger of the fluid cartridge toward a dispensing end of the fluid cartridge; 
 a dispenser in fluid communication with the dispensing end of the fluid cartridge and having a dispense valve configured to perform a snuff back operation; and 
 an end effector coupled to the dispenser by an adapter and configured to dispense the fluid to an application site. 
 
     
     
       23. The system of  claim 22 , wherein the linear actuator comprises a servomotor or a rotary motor. 
     
     
       24. The system of  claim 22 , wherein the dispense valve further comprises a snuff back valve configured to perform the snuff back operation, the snuff back valve comprising a snuff back element having a first region and a directly adjacent second region having a cross-sectional diameter smaller than the first region, wherein the first region sealingly abuts a resilient valve seal provided in the dispenser when the dispense valve is closed to block fluid flow to the end effector, and wherein the second region does not sealingly abut the resilient valve seal when the dispense valve is open to allow fluid flow past the snuff back valve. 
     
     
       25. The system of  claim 24 , wherein the dispense valve and the snuff back valve are configured to be simultaneously actuated to a flow position during dispensing. 
     
     
       26. The system of  claim 22 , wherein the fluid cartridge includes a flange, and the first clamshell section and the second clamshell section define a flange groove having a stop surface,
 wherein the flange groove is configured to receive the flange when the fluid cartridge is secured in the cartridge holder, such that the flange is in contact with the stop surface and axial movement of the fluid cartridge within the cartridge holder is precluded.